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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26078254">The Sleepover</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ava_now/pseuds/Ava_now'>Ava_now</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Barisi Dads AU [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Law &amp; Order: SVU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Smut, Kid Fic, M/M, dump your kid on your friend fic, generally fluff, sexy husbands in love, the kids are fluffy and the dads get laid, this is what happens when i need to entertain myself, what kind of trouble could possibly happen?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:41:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,164</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26078254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ava_now/pseuds/Ava_now</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“We really can’t thank you enough, Amanda,” Rafael told her as Marlene took off after Jesse, into Amanda’s apartment.  “We owe you.”</p><p>“Yeah, we do,” Sonny echoed.  “We’ll get Jesse and Billie for you one night soon--just let us know when you want free babysitting!”</p><p>Amanda grinned.  “Oh, trust me, you guys WILL make it up to me at some point, there’s no doubt.”  She waved a hand off.  “It’s no big deal, you guys.  They’ll have a great time.  Marley’s a sweetie and Jesse is so excited that she gets to have a sleepover.  Have a great time--and thanks for bringing the pizza!”</p><p>****<br/>Rafael and Sonny take advantage of Amanda's kind offer to babysit Marlene overnight.  When one adult is wrapped up in comforting a crying baby, what could unsupervised five- and six-year old girls get into?</p><p>Oh, just you wait.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Barisi Dads AU [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1541101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Sleepover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello and welcome to my fun!</p><p>It may be helpful to read Bits and Pieces: The Birds and the Bees before you read this in order to get all of it, but you certainly will still be able to understand what's going on if you don't.</p><p>This story is absolute, pure indulgence from beginning to end.  And just when I thought I was writing a big piece of G-rated fluff, Rafael decided he needed to be dommed by Sonny, and Sonny should bring the dirtiest mouth he could find.  Go, boys!  It's not in the story, but let me assure you, Sonny does pay it back.</p><p>I don't know why but I absolutely love these three and the crazy mess they call life.  Everyone should love and be loved like they are, and do.</p><p>Please, PLEASE consider comments and kudos here!  Thanks for stopping by and I hope this bit of lunacy makes you smile, at least for a minute.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“We really can’t thank you enough, Amanda,” Rafael told her as Marlene took off after Jesse, into Amanda’s apartment.  “We owe you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we do,” Sonny echoed.  “We’ll get Jesse and Billie for you one night soon--just let us know when you want free babysitting!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda grinned.  “Oh, trust me, you guys WILL make it up to me at some point, there’s no doubt.”  She waved a hand off.  “It’s no big deal, you guys.  They’ll have a great time.  Marley’s a sweetie and Jesse is so excited that she gets to have a sleepover.  Have a great time--and thanks for bringing the pizza!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Marley,” Rafael called, “we’re leaving!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye!” came a holler from the back of the apartment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael shook his head and followed the track of her voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I always figured YOU would be that dad,” Amanda told Sonny, chuckling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, right?” Sonny told her.  “But it’s not me.  I guarantee you he’s telling her, ‘You know this is not how we say goodbye...now come give Papi a kiss and a hug.’”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were quietly snickering when Rafael rejoined them, along with Marley.  “Bye Daddy!” she said, holding her arms up for a hug.  “I wove you and I’ll see you tomorrow morning, wight?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s right, dolly!” he told her, hugging her and kissing her cheek.  “Have fun with Jesse and Amanda and Billie!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Frannie,” Marley added.  “Jesse says we tan dress Frannie up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lucky Frannie,” Rafael commented drily, and Amanda snickered again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll see you all later,” Sonny said, opening the door, and the two of them headed out, closing it behind them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye Daddies,” Jesse said, standing next to Marlene, who giggled.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye silly daddies,” Marlene said after her, and they both started giggling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bye silly Funny-Sonny-Rafi-Taffy kissy-faced daddies!  We’ll MISS you!” Jesse crooned, and Marlene’s giggles turned into belly laughs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda stood there watching the two of them, shaking her head.  “Okay, you two daddy fans, why don’t you go wash your hands and I’ll get you plates for the pizza.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kay, Momma!” Jesse called, heading toward the bathroom with Marley following her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Jesse,” Marley asked, “do you think I tan tall your momma, ‘momma’ too?  I don’t got no momma and I want one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jesse hummed.  “Yeah, I think so.  I got a daddy but I never seen him.  His name’s Declan.  But Momma says that Uncle Sonny is kinda like a daddy when he does stuff with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”  Marley rinsed her hands.  “But do you got a papi, wike me? Not every kid got a papi.  My papi’s Wafael Eduardo Barba.”  She giggled.  “He’s a funny papi and I wove him.  I think I gotted him instead of a momma, but I’m not sure.  And did you know papi is a spanish name for daddy? So I got two daddies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jesse’s brow furrowed.  “You got TWO daddies?  Your papi is a daddy too?”  When Marley nodded, Jesse exhaled heavily.  “Wow, Marley.  Mind. Blown.  WHOOSH!” she said, blowing a lot of air out of her mouth, and Marley laughed as the two took off for the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I LOVE pizza!” Jesse said as she took a piece of plain cheese and put it on her plate.  Marley was eating a piece of spinach pizza, and Amanda was eyeing her suspiciously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Marley,” she asked, playing with her own slice, “how’d your dads get you to eat spinach pizza, and whatever else you got on that thing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley shrugged.  “I dunno.  It’s spinach bacon woma, Daddy says, and it’s so good.  You gonna have some?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” she said, taking a bite of her own.  “That’s why your dad brought over a half cheese, half sausage, for me and Jesse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Marley said thoughtfully.  “We always have spinach bacon woma.  It’s our favorite, ‘cept when Daddy wants goat cheese and sunny tomato--”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What???” Jesse exclaimed.  “Goats have CHEESE???”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh-huh,” Marlene confirmed.  “And me an’ Papi wike it on our salad but not on our pizza.  And Papi says Daddy is </span>
  <em>
    <span>jodidamente woco</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” (fucking crazy).  She spun her finger around near her temple, and Amanda laughed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d have to agree with your papi on that one,” she said.  “Do you know what that means?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” she said, pulling on the cheese, “It means weally crazy.  But I’m not s’posed to say it around my abuelita.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda choked on her pizza, and Jesse reached over and whacked her back.  “Okay, Momma?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She cleared her throat.  “Yes, I’m good.  Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure you don’t want no spinach pizza, Auntie ‘Manda?” Marley asked, holding up a slice.  “It’s weally good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay, honey.  I’m a fan of the sausage.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s good he wemembered your favorite, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Amanda agreed.  “Very good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Momma,” Jesse said, “Marley wants to know if she can call you Momma, ‘cause she doesn’t have a momma and she wants one.  Like...like how you said Uncle Sonny is kind of like a daddy to me when he plays with me and stuff, even though I got a daddy Declan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda put her pizza down.  “Hey Marley, I think you need to talk to your dads about that.  They might have somebody special that they want you to call Momma.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley shrugged again.  “Nope.  Only my belly momma, Torrine.  But I tall her Torrine, not Momma.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But what about Aunt Livvy?  Your papi might want you to call her momma...she’s a special friend of his. I’m not really your momma, and that’s something you and your dads need to talk about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”  She finished chewing and swallowing.  “You don’t want me to tall you momma wike Jesse does, huh?  It’s otay.  I know I’m not your weal tid.”  She sighed for a minute.  “I’m not Papi or Daddy’s weal tid either...just Torrine.  And I have a weal dad somewhere but nobody knows his name.  I think Torrine forgot.  She shoulda writed it down.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh honey,” Amanda chuckled lightly, wanting to hug the little girl, “ you are very much your daddy and papi’s real kid.  I was there when they brought you home from the hospital, and they couldn’t love you any more than they do.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know they are my wove-dads,” Marley corrected.  “And my wegal dads.  That’s the dad the court says you have,” she explained to Jesse, who looked incredibly confused.  “I’m tryin’ to say  they didn’t give Torrine any sperm to make a baby.  Some other guy did that.  He’s my weal dad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your birth dad,” Amanda corrected, glancing at her own daughter, who still looked confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s sperm?” Jesse asked, “and why didn’t your dads give any to your belly mom?  Did they run out?  Did they need to go buy some?”  She looked around her.  “Do we have any here, Momma?  Maybe we could let Uncle Sonny and Uncle Rafi borrow some next time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The birth daddy makes it,” Marley volunteered, “in his testy-tools.”  Seeing Amanda’s face, she added, “That’s what my papi says, anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda tried to pick up her chin from the floor and turned to Jesse. “I don’t think they need any, honey, and Momma will explain about this later, okay?”  Turning back to Marlene, she added, “I just think that Momma is a really special name, and we need to check with your daddies first, that’s all.  If they say it’s okay, then I’m okay with it.”  She squeezed Marley’s hand, and when the little girl looked at her, she smiled.  “Okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley nodded.  “Otay, Auntie ‘Manda.  Thanks.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think Uncle Rafi will tell me about sperm, if I ask him nice?” Jesse asked, and Amanda covered her face with her hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Probably,” Marlene told her, “but don’t ask him nothin’ about vaginas.  He doesn’t know them very well at all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does your baby always try wike this?” Marley asked Jesse, both girls with their hands over their ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes, when she’s sad, or hungry, or needs a change.  Or when she’s mad.”  Jesse shrugged.  “Sometimes just ‘cause.  We don’t know why.  Wanna go play in my room?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley nodded.  “No offense, but your baby’s WEALLY woud.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Momma!” Jesse ran over to Amanda and patted her arm.  “We’re gonna play in my room, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure honey, but keep the door open.”  She patted Billie on the back firmly.  “You’re all right, honey.  It’s okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jesse led Marley to her bedroom, and the  two girls settled on the bed.  “What do you like to play?” Jesse asked.  “We could play babies, or puzzles, or somethin’ else…”  She reached over and touched one of Marley’s braids.  “Can I touch your hair?  It feels different than mine does, a little.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh-huh!” Marley nodded.  “Wanna feel it out of the braid?  I tan take it out for you…” At Jesse’s nod, Marley quickly undid one of her braids, and Jesse reached over and stroked her hair.  “It’s turly, my papi says.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you always gotta wear braids?” Jesse asked.  “I have some pretty barrettes...you wanna see how it looks without the braids?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Otay, sure!”  Marley undid her other braid and shook her hair out while Jesse grabbed her barrettes.  “I don’t GOT to wear braids, but Papi says it makes my hair less tangly.  Tause it is VERY TURLY.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see...hmmm.”  Jesse tried to fasten the barrettes in the front, but had trouble controlling the volume.  Both girls looked in the mirror and giggled at Marley’s voluminous curls.  “I know!  Let me get my hairbrush...I’ll brush it and THAT should help, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess,” Marley said with uncertainty.  “My papi only brushes it when it’s wet.  He says it’ll go CRAZY if we brush it dry!”  She giggled, remembering Rafael’s expression when he told her it was a bad idea.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It should be okay,” Jesse told her.  “It works for my hair...see?”  She brushed her smooth, blonde locks flat, and Marley smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jesse’s hair was so pretty.  It was long and straight and blonde, and all the things Marley’s hair wasn’t.  Maybe they should try it.  “Otay,” she agreed.  “You tan brush it.  Just be tareful because the tangles will hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I gotcha,” Jesse replied, and began to gently brush Marley’s curls.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence for a few minutes until Jesse had brushed all over Marley’s head and worked her way back to her starting point.  She sighed, putting the brush down, and Marley said, “Did it work?  Is my hair flat wike yours?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” Jesse admitted, and then she let out a little giggle.  “It kind of got bigger, I think.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bigger?” Marley asked, then scooted in front of the mirror.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hair, which was naturally a mid to tightly wound curl, was frizzed in a complete triangle around her head.  In fact, her hair was easily twice as big as her face.  Marley clapped her hands over her mouth.  Jesse watched nervously behind her, until Marley suddenly began to giggle too.  “That’s so funny!” she giggled, playing with the frizz.  “Wookit me!  I wook CRAZY!  Wike a crazy person, Jesse! My hair’s bigger than my head!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you like it?” Jesse asked, nervously giggling.  “I could cut it and make it less, if you want.  I got some scissors in here, somewheres…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe just a wittle,” Marley agreed.  “Just a wittle, wight off the side over here…” She directed Jesse to the left side, where her hair was just slightly more voluminous.  Jesse quickly obliged, cutting off a large snip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anywhere else?” she asked.  “I’m gonna cut mine a little too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m good,” Marley told her, patting her frizz.  “Hey!  You should put some colors in your hair!”  She picked up the markers laying on the desk.  “Do you want to?  I’ll help!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jesse chopped a chunk of hair off near her left ear.  “Sure!  Let’s do purple...I love purple!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My papi woves it too,” Marley said.  “Where do you want it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right here, on the side,” Jesse directed her, and Marlene carefully took a chunk of hair and began to color it with the purple marker.  Jesse giggled again.  “This is so cool.  Wait til Momma sees...she’s gonna be so surprised!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley laughed.  “Yeah!  We wook wike wock stars!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Jesse agreed.  “We should do our makeup next!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley continued coloring.  “This is gonna be so fun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael relaxed under Sonny’s grip.  He had needed this tonight, needed to be used and useful, and Sonny had a way of making it perfect for him.  He’d been warming Sonny’s cock for several minutes now, Sonny’s hands stroking through his hair as he sat still, naked on the pillow under him, as Sonny finished reading the novel he’d been working on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Part of him felt guilty that they’d gone ahead and had Amanda watch Marlene after their theater plans fell through, but part of him was immensely grateful.  They both had wanted to engage in the type of sex that wasn’t appropriate with a kid in the house, so it was fantastic that Amanda had still agreed to watch her.  Before they’d left home, he’d tugged on Sonny’s hip and said, “You need to own me tonight,” and Sonny had given a short, clipped nod.  As soon as they were back home, his husband had directed him to strip, and he’d been naked and sporting a hard on ever since.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very nice, baby boy,” Sonny praised him now, and he let Sonny’s cock slip from his mouth, saliva still connecting them.  “Now you’re going to make me come, hard.  Entiendes?”  Sonny watched as Rafael nodded.  “And no touching yourself.  God, that’s a beautiful dick.  I’m always enthralled by how beautiful your cock is, Rafael.  If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll kiss it tonight.”  He raised an eyebrow, then swatted his own cock against Rafael’s cheek.  “Open up, baby.  You’re gonna take it down deep tonight.”  He hesitated for a second.  “Gimme a color before we start, honey...are we still green?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mmhmm,” Rafael nodded, eyeing the cock in front of him, “So green.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay then,” Sonny murmured, sliding in, “and make it wet.  You know how wet I like it, babe.  Don’t hold back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Rafael didn’t.  He sucked and slurped deeply, drooling from the start, and taking more and more down.  Sonny sighed loudly, feeling Rafael rolling his balls, until his husband’s nose pressed against his groin and was fully sucking his dick.  “Jesus,” he murmured, “God, you’re so good, baby.  Fuckiing little cockslut.  You love it, don’t you?  Made for this.  That mouth...you like thinking you’re fooling people with that mouth, but you’re not.  As good as you may be with your words, you’re even better with your tongue...and your throat…” Rafael suddenly pulled back, gasping for air, and Sonny watched him quietly.  He gasped and coughed for a moment, then slid Sonny’s cock back in, slurping and sucking as though he’d never let it out.  “Ease up, baby,” Sonny directed.  ‘I’m gonna fuck that throat.  You ready?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael slid off and nodded.  “Yeah.  Ready.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonny’s fingers ran through Rafael’s hair and gripped it at the root, then brought his head up and pushed his cock into Rafael’s wet and willing mouth.  “Yes, like that,” he murmured as he began thrusting back and forth.  “Take it like that.  Good boy.  Suck it down.  God, you’re so slutty.  I love it.  Made for this, I’m telling you…”  He fucked fast and firm into Rafael’s mouth, watching his husband’s eyes on him.  “You love this, don’t you?  Want me to shoot my jizz right down your throat, huh?  Or maybe cover your face with it?  Yeah, you’d like that too.”  Sonny thrust quickly and firmly.  “Cover your face in it, let it dry...take you out in public with my jizz all on your face.  Everybody see how sexy and slutty you are, all for me. You love knowing I own you, don’t you?  You’d wear it like a crown.  Jesus,” he gasped, beginning to thrust unsteadily, “suck it...keep sucking...fuck, Raf, I’m gonna come...oh God…”  Both of Sonny’s hands were clutching Rafael’s hair as he thrust one last time and came.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael closed his eyes and swallowed until Sonny finished, then gently let him go.  He opened his eyes to see Sonny had collapsed backwards onto the bed, naked and comfortable and completely blissed out.  It was clear his lover was still in another world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The phone’s been pinging,” Rafael finally said, reaching over to grab his cell, then slowly standing and stretching, despite his own erection.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh fuck,” Sonny said, as though seeing him for the first time.  “You’re not done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael shook his head.  “It’s okay...I think we have a problem...Amanda’s texting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He typed back quickly, and Sonny sat up, furrowing his brow.  “What’s going on?” he asked, just as Rafael sucked in his breath, </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and passed the phone over to his husband.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a photo of Jesse and Marlene.  Jesse’s hair was choppy and different lengths as well as a rainbow of colors, and she had on a bright red lipstick.  Marley had one side of her hair super frizzy and the other nearly flat, cut close to her head.  She had glitter in her hair and pink lipstick on her mouth, and both girls were laughing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The caption read, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I was outnumbered.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t wike short hair!” Marlene grumbled at Rafael as they left the hairdresser’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda had been an incredibly good sport considering, he thought, and kept the little heathens for the night, bathing them and doing her best to save the hair that was still on their heads.  Rafael had picked up Marlene the next morning, a Saturday, and gotten her into a hairdresser’s as soon as possible.  Marley wasn’t quite as giggly in the hairdresser’s chair once she started to realize the impulsive changes she’d made the night before were actually there to stay, and she’d pouted her way through the entire hair consultation.  The hairstylist tried her best, but she couldn’t produce hair on a child who had very little, so they’d had to cut her hair down to a near-pixie cut and hope for the best as it grew out.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry you don’t like it,” he told her, “but this is why you don’t cut your own hair.  You know Laura, the lady who just cut your hair?  She went to school for years to be able to do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, she needs to go back.  She’s not very good at it,” Marley huffed, tugging at a piece of her new bangs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She kind of had to work with a difficult situation,” Rafael tossed back.  “If you and Jesse hadn’t cut nearly all of it off on one side, it wouldn’t have to be so short.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley sniffled.  “We just wanted to wook wike wock stars,” she said, voice shaky.  Her walk slowed to a near crawl, and he suddenly realized she was crying.  “I wook so ugly now, Papi!” she cried, and he turned around and picked her up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not ugly, mija,” he murmured into her ear, carrying her into their apartment building.  She continued to cry quietly, pressing her face into his shoulder until they got into the apartment and he put her down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonny stepped into the front room.  “Well, let me see the damage,” he said, hands on his hips.  Marley took one look at him, burst into tears again, and ran to her bedroom.  “Wow.  I didn’t even get to see it, much less tease her about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I don’t know that’s gonna happen,” Rafael told him, shaking his head.  “She thinks she looks ugly now and is very upset about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonny stood there, mouth open, looking at Rafael, then looking down the hall to Marley’s room, then turning back to his husband.  “But...but...but she’s not ugly.  Ever.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course she’s not,” Rafael replied.  “Except she thinks she is.”  Sonny watched his husband collapse on the sofa and grab the paper.  He turned and walked down the hallway to her bedroom, and knocked on the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He heard sniffles.  “What?” she called, and he rolled his eyes at his five year old acting like she was fifteen again.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Could I come in?” he asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He opened the door.  Marley was sitting in her beanbag chair, Pru at her feet, with knuffle bunny next to her cheek.  She was sucking her thumb and sniffling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi dolly.”  He sat on the floor next to them.  “Papi told me you think your hair is ugly.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded.  “I wook wike a boy,” she sniffled, thumb still in her mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think you look like a boy.  I know lots of ladies who have, or have had, short hair.  Both Grammyy and Abby have short hair, and neither of them are ugly.  In fact, I think they’re both quite beautiful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sniffled, but didn’t answer him.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I see?” he asked, reaching toward her hair, and when she nodded, he ran his fingers through her hair, rearranging it.  It was very short, but a pretty cute pixie cut.  “You know, dolly, I like it.  I know it’s different than what you’re used to, but it’s gonna be easy to care for.  Papi won’t have to comb out all your curls every night for awhile.  And you can grow it back, you know.  If you decide you want it longer, you can grow it back just like it was.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sniffled again.  “That was a dummy thing we did, isn’t it, Daddy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled gently.  “It sounds like it was a mistake, honey.  We all make them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shuddered a little, then asked, “Did you ever tut your hair tause you wanted to wook tool?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonny chuckled.  “You cut it to look cool?” At her nod, he sighed.  “Uh, I’ve had other people cut it so I would look cool, and those cuts did not always look cool.  I once grew a mustache to look cool.  Papi named it.  He called it Fred.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She giggled.  “Nuh-uh, Daddy.  You just makin’ that up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s true,” he insisted, then called, “Hey Rafi!  C’mere for a sec!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael appeared a moment later.  “Yeah, what’s up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonny nodded toward Marlene.  “She doesn’t believe me about Fred.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael rolled his eyes.  “Your daddy had a mustache when I first met him.  It was huge and covered half his face.  It looked like a fuzzy caterpillar, and I named it Fred.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Marley burst into giggles.  “You had a mustache named Fred...that’s funny, Daddy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Sonny told her.  “And one day you’re going to think back to last night, when you and Jesse played beauty shop, and you’re going to giggle about it like this.”  He pulled up the photo Amanda had taken and showed it to her.  She stared at it for a few seconds, and the smile on her face became softer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t wook so bad?” she asked shyly, and Sonny shook his head no.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rafael smiled warmly at her.  “I’ve always had a thing for pixies.  Adorable, really, just like your personality, estrellita.” (little star)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled at both of them.  “Otay, I guess I won’t stay in my woom until it grows back...but I still want it to grow back!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And it will,” Sonny told her.  “For better or for worse, things always change.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On Monday morning, Sonny handed Amanda a fresh cup of coffee.  “How’s Jesse?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She chuckled.  “She’s fine.  We did end up having to bleach her hair, and it’s short, but my God is it cute!  She got a little pixie cut, and I swear it makes her look so much more sophisticated.”  Sonny grinned at that, and suddenly she elbowed him.  “Speaking of sophisticated, can you tell me what books you guys got Marlene about the facts of life?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” he said, looking shocked, “but how do you know about that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She raised one eyebrow.  “Did you really think you could teach your daughter and people NOT find out about that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head.  “I’ll email you the info.  It sounds like you all had quite the night.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We did,” she confirmed.  “And your daughter wants to call me momma, if it’s okay...but it really sounded more like she was looking for a special momma for her.  A love-momma, if you will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scrunched up his face.  “Are you suggesting we explore polyamory?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amanda laughed.  “No.  But it might help if you decide who her momma is...because she really wants one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take it to my husband, and we’ll discuss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know that I’d do that if I were you,” she said.  “Word on the street is he doesn’t seem to know a whole lot about vaginas.” She shrugged.  “That’s why he needed the book.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonny shook his head.  “I am so immensely glad I was late coming home the day those questions came up.  She’s gonna humiliate him until the day he dies.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She laughed.  “You better believe it.”</span>
</p>
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